I am disgusted

Tonight at the Board of Supervisor's Meeting there was quite a discussion about "Agent of Record" for our property and liability Insurance.

As we heard, Gordon Burke has been the agent for the above insurance for many years.  I've watched him make his presentations and apparently, he had found the best deals for us because I have not observed another agent coming in and presenting another policy that would be better.

As I understand it, another agent could not bid with a policy that was already in place.  The only way this could happen is for our Board of Supervisors to make another agent the "Agent of Record".  In this case, this resolution by our Board of Supervisors allowed a brand new insurance agent and the agency he works for to steal Gordon Burke's business.

I confronted Larry Pratt and one of the agency's owners outside of the meeting.  I don't know this guy's name but what he said was...,that's how insurance works.  Really?  My father-,in-law and my husband's uncle were in insurance all of their working lives and this is not how it works.

In insurance as in any business, you earn it.  You go out and find a policy that is better than the one we already have or you find a policy that offers something we need but don't have.  You work for it.  You don't steal it.  Shameful.

Somebody please buy this house.  I am so tired of living around people who think they are entitled.

1 Aug 2016 Board of Supervisors' Meeting

When I arrived this morning, we were told that only two Supervisors would be present and Phillis Williams would be on the phone.

It was my understanding that there has to be a physical quorum in the room before a meeting could be held.  Said another way, the Supervisors may not use a phoned in presence to create a quorum.  When Attorney John Perry arrived, I asked the question.  Perry checked and found this to be true.

The BOS will meet this afternoon at 4p.

To the BOS, this is what happens when you attempt to change meetings to disenfranchise one of your members. All of you ran with the knowledge that meetings were at 5p on the first Monday, the 15th and the last day of the month.  Now you want to meet only on the first and third Mondays and your meetings are too long for the public's comfort.  So, I ask you:

Who are you serving?  Us or yourselves?

UPDATED: 25 Jul 2016: Truth, Lies and My Opinions

24 Jul 2026:. I watched the Republican Convention...gavel to gavel...on Direct TV Channel 347.  It is here that I can watch and listen and make-up my own mind.

Over the next several months, I am going to use this post as a diary of sorts on our way to electing our next President of the United States of America.  Full disclosure: I am supporting the Clinton/Kaine ticket.

Until yesterday, I didn't know much about Tim Kaine's voting record.  I'm looking forward to learning more.

At first blush, I was disappointed that Bernie Sanders was not tapped for VP.  Maybe having Bernie and the first woman on the same ticket is too much at once in 2016.  So, I will happily support the Clinton/Kaine ticket.

Now back to the Republican Convention:

On day one the sitting First Lady was plagiarized by the nominee's wife.  How sad and what a mess.

And the Convention went down hill from there.

On the second day, the theme was Make America Work Again.  Really?  The GOP controls both houses of Congress.  Put a jobs bill on the President's desk.  Your obstruction of this President is hurting our Country and her people.

During the Convention there were more than a few comments made about our President being a Muslim when he says he is a Christian.  Those who are making those comments are showing their ignorance and unwillingness to learn.

Here's what I think:. Does anyone believe that Michelle Obama is anything other than a Christian?  Now that we have that out of the way, you can Google Muslim interfaith marriage and you will find that there is virtually no accepted interfaith marriage in the Muslim religion.  So, can we put this discussion aside and move on to subjects that effect the American people?

Then there was the brouhaha about Ted Cruz not endorsing the Republican nominee.  To my way of thinking this is one thing Ted got right.  The statement they all signed said they would support the nominee.  It did not say endorse the nominee.

And then there was the Trump speech.  All I have to say here is: Please God, do not let this man become President of these United States of America.

25 Jul 2016:

Some things I found yesterday....

"I like imaging what certain Trump supporters would say if Hillary Clinton accepted the Dem nomination with her 5 kids by 3 different men.". 23 Jul 2016 John Fugelsang

Former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg will speak at the Democratic Convention.

"It is time to lift the federal ban on marijuana". 24 Jul 2016 Bernie Sanders

"None of the speakers at last week's Republican Convention mentioned the party's plans for Social Security.  Digging into the GOP platform reveals the reason why - they support cutting and privatizing Social Security.  That's incredibly unpopular with voters of ALL parties". 24 Jul 2016 Social Security Works

BT: Social Security is not an "entitlement". We paid for this benefit and we pay for Medicare coverage every month through deducted premiums.  Keep your hands off!

BT: The Democratic Rules Committee just voted to reduce the Superdelegate count by two thirds for the future.  This is something I wanted to see happen.  Actually, I would like to see all Superdelegate gone; all Caucasus changed to primaries and the elimination of the Electorial College.  I think that these actions would support one person one vote in this 21st century world.

Send Cory Booker (D-NJ): "America, we will rise.". What an inspiring speech.

First Lady Michelle Obama:. The words of our elected officials matter because our children are listening.  "When they go low, we go high."

Send Elizabeth Warren (D-MA): To all of the Republicans in Congress who have obstructed progress...this Nov, America is coming for you!  Overturn Citizens United...

Keith Erickson,(D-MN): Paul Ryan will not allow a vote to restore the Voting Rights Act.

Sen Bernie Sanders: (I-VT): Ending the 40 year decline of the Middle Class.  Ending income inequality.  Thank you to Pres Obama and VP Biden for pulling us out of the Recession. Raise the minimum wage to a living wage.  Overturn Citizen United.
Universal healthcare.

Kicked again.....

If the front page article in the 8 Jul 2016 issue of the Tunica Times is correct, our Board of Supervisor's have again made a self-serving and bad decision.

In my previous post I talked about the discovery of an unpaid building permit for Maud Elevator.  Oh, the almost $7k fee was paid, after the project was discovered.  Wonder how many more fees are owed to Tunica County and what about some late fees for those who didn't pay before starting construction?

So, according to the Tunica Times, Supervisor Billy Pegram is quoted as stating: "We can't afford him" when Supervisor James Dunn asked the Board if they wanted Tunica Architect Bill Wenzel to continue working for us.  The Board said no and hired the MEMPHIS company Code Solutions.

Next thing we know, Michael Johnson is going to insist on giving jobs to his political opponents Lynn Henson and Robert Leflore, Jr.

Don't expect any TRANSPARENCY from Code Solutions.  If what I'm reading online about this company is correct, Richard Howe is a "Consulting Partner" of Code Solutions...not a principal.

When is Tunica going to stand-up together and demand that everyone play by the same rules?

UPDATE: Since writing this post, I have learned that Supervisor Sonny Nickson voted against terminating Bill Wenzel and against hiring Code Solutions.

It's my understanding that Lynn Henson is being employed by Code Solutions to work in Tunica. This was a complete guess on my part but there it is.

Additionally...there is more...isn't there always more in Tunica?  We are going to be paying Code Solutions $10k per month so I'm not sure what Billy Pegram was talking about when he said we couldn't afford Bill Wenzel.  And since when do we not have to bid a contract for $120,000?

UPDATED: What the heck???!!!

I'm still not comfortable with this Code Solutions deal.  I don't understand what we need them for and besides, wasn't it Michael Johnson who said he wanted to bid everything out when we were talking about our health insurance?

Well, guess what I'm looking at?  I'm looking at the building permit for Maud Elevator.

And here's a picture of Maud Elevator.  See how bright and shiny and new?  Let me see...want to make sure I get this right.  The Building Permit is dated 6/13/16.  Today is 6/23/16.  Do you mean to tell me these silos or whatever you call them were put up in 10 days?  I don't think so either.

It seems to me there should be some kind of penalty for starting construction before obtaining a Building Permit.  What I'm looking at shows a fee of $6,994.00.  I think if a company and/or the company owners are so dishonest as to try to get out of paying what is owed to Tunica County, there ought to be a penalty for not doing what is right.

Also, on this Building Permit there is a notation next to Maud Elevator.  The notation says: Michael Johnson, et al.  Then there is a notation next to the contractor's name that indicates that he is unlicensed.  Geez, don't contractors in our County have to have a license?  The contractor's name looks like: James Castle II with an address of 3746 Hwy 1 South, Greenville, MS   38701.

The Applicant's Signature is so poorly written that I can't tell what it says or who signed the application.

Oh, but wait...there's more.

I have a copy of another building permit in the name of Jack Wilkes to renovate some apartments.  The Permit is dated 6/17/16 and today is still 6/23/16.  Whew...things get done fast in Tunica County.  There must be a construction fairy up in here.  Did you know that the Tunica County Construction Fairy can renovate 6 apartments in 6 days.  Oops, I see another penalty.

Oh, and there is an unlicensed Dennis Percival noted.  Wonder what that is all about.

Now I'm wondering if we need to look at all of the building permits over the last few years and see if we can make some money on those issued after the beginning of construction.  Do you all remember when the Transparency Committee found that the remodeling being done at 1370 Beatline Road had been underway for 4 months without a building permit?  And that was in 2011.

Again, it seems to me that penalties need to be levied on those who don't follow the rules.  Until all of this is straight and the public has been made aware of every project that had a late Building Permit, we don't need Code Solutions.

UPDATE:. It is my understanding that more than a few residents of Beat 5 have had their power turned off this past week while the above mentioned elevators or silos were brought online.  Hello...it's over 90 degrees outside.  Again, what the heck?!!!

6 Jun 2016 BOS Meeting

Last week, I didn't see anything in the newspaper about this meeting.  Maybe they're waiting for this week?

The meeting on 6 Jun 2016, Went on for over three hours.  Perhaps the Board needs to reconsider their decision about two meetings per month at 9a.

My biggest take-away was the presentation from Code Solutions. In a nutshell, their presentation suggested that we replace Pepper Bradford with a contract for $10,000 plus per month.  That's over $120,000 per year!

When did we ever pay Pepper this kind of money?  It seemed to me that Michael Johnson wanted approve this company right on the spot.  By now, Johnson should know that a contract for this much money would have to be bid.

Additionally, who are these people?  I'm not absolutely sure but I believe the man doing the speaking was a political supporter of Johnson out at the Cut-Off.

Watch out for this one folks.

Outrageous!!!

Last night some media sources called the Democratic Primary for Sec Clinton.

These Superdelegates have got to go.  Whatever happened to one person, one vote?  Yes, Sec Clinton is up by about 3 million votes but our largest state has yet to cast their ballots.

By some of the media calling this election, they may have influenced the turnout tomorrow.  What if Clinton supporters stay home because their candidate has it in the bag?  What if Sanders supporters give up and stay home?

Isn't this like the same thing that happened in the Beat 5 race on 2 Nov 2015?  Judge Lackey's order calling for a Special Election was released to the public one day before the election on 3 Nov 2015.

How many people stayed home because they believed there would be another election?